Over the last few weeks, we have been given sneak previews of these two cubs as they were moved between setts, getting larger with each transfer. Here we are in early March:
But, on Monday night, the wait was over and they finally came above ground. At the moment they are only allowed up for a very short time and they are under the strictest of supervision, but it is lovely to finally get a proper look at them:
Looking forward to getting to know them better as they get taken out and about more and taught how to be Badgers.
The wind has finally dropped, the temperature has risen and the Red Mason Bee cocoons have started to hatch. I have photographed the hatching – it starts with little munching sounds as the bee starts to chew its way out:
They don’t hang around. They are off and flying away within a couple of minutes after emerging from the cocoon.
It has not been long since my last post but I do have a few more things to share with you. Here is a Zebra Spider. It is only small – maybe 5mm in length – and jumps on its prey rather than building a web. It is also very well camouflaged on this stone.
The bird ringer came today now that the wind has dropped and caught 22 Linnets. Three were retraps but the others were ringed. He has now ringed approximately 150 Linnets along the strip.
Here is a photo showing utter blackness of the Crow:
In contrast to this photo below which couldn’t be more colourful:
Peacock Butterflies hibernate over the winter and this one is certainly showing some wear and tear.
And – hurrah! – in the orchard, the apple blossom is starting to come out.
In the wood, things are gradually unfolding and coming back to life. The Silver Birch trees are greening up:
and the ferns below them are unfurling:
We still have a camera trained on the shallow painters tray and it is amazing how many birds are using it. Here are a couple of the more unusual visitors:
My last photo is another attempt to film the Tawny in the wood. A slight improvement, but still a way to go. But what does it have in its mouth – maybe a Slow Worm?
What a beautful blog! (Thanks to WordPress for suggesting I might like it!) We too have a field – smaller than yours and on a steep gradient, and have had vague notions of making it as wildlife friendly as we can. Hopefully your blog will give the me the nudge I need to get started!
Sandra – thank you so much for your lovely words. The great thing about managing somewhere for wildlife is that often the best thing to do is to leave it alone and do nothing! However, I do think that the single most useful thing we did was to put in the pond since, other than that, there was no freshwater around anywhere being on chalk. Anyway, good luck with the possible new project – I think you would find it so incredible rewarding.
That in itself is helpful, Judy: we have been thinking that we need to put in a ponSo perhaps that’s where we’ll start 🙂